All you need to know about crafting the perfect LOR for your student!

If your current or former student has approached you to write a Letter of Recommendation for their university application, IDP Education is here to guide you through the process. A Letter of Recommendation, or LOR (as it's popularly known), is an important document that students aspiring to study abroad must attach to their admission application. This document is essentially drafted by someone who has closely known the student for a considerable time and can detail their academic achievements and personal character traits.

All of these can be particular highlight points to boost the student's chances of gaining admission into the desired international university. With a compelling LOR crafted by a person in a position of authority, such as a teacher, professor, or project/research mentor, the chances of impressing the university's admissions committee are higher. This inevitably boosts the student's prospects of admission. 

What is a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for Students?

A Letter of Recommendation, or LOR, is also often called a reference letter. This is because it's a formal document that provides a reference for a student's candidature at the university they wish to apply to abroad. 

A  LOR holds particular importance in a student's academic or career pursuits, highlighting the key educational, professional, and personal traits of the student in their journey so far. This provides the admission committee at the desired university a fair idea about the applicant before deciding on their admission prospects.

A well-written LOR must entail certain key elements, such as their past academic and work milestones, their experience or expertise in the domain of study/work, and some personal traits relevant to the study program. All of these pointers should ideally be included coherently in the LOR format detailed for students' application later in this article.

How to Prepare to Write an LOR for Students?

Since a LOR is a key reference document in a student's application for admission at an international university, it's crucial to take special care while drafting it. Before you sit to write the LOR for your student, do keep the following in mind to prepare yourself for the task:

  • Understand your student’s goals: Do they need an LOR for the student’s college admission abroad, or are they applying for a scholarship program for higher studies overseas? Or, perhaps the LOR is intended to boost the student’s chances of securing an internship opportunity during or after their course abroad. Knowing well the exact purpose of the LOR for the student can help you frame your letter accordingly. 

  • Gather all the required information: Once you are fully aware of the purpose of writing the LOR, proceed with collecting all the key and relevant details about the student that you would need to include in your letter. These may include the latest updated CV of the student to get a fair idea of their academic/professional background, the SOP that needs to be attached with the application, and any other relevant detail that you may need to know about the student, which can be helpful to their application. 

What is the Academic LOR Format for Students?

When writing an academic LOR for students to submit as part of their application process for admission to a university, it is important to follow a specified format and stick to it. The general academic LOR format for students is defined below for your reference:  

The LOR is generally one page long and around 300-350 words.

  • Write the header on the top of the LOR, for instance, “LOR for (student name) application for MS Research in (subject)”.

  • Mention the date of writing the letter in the following line.

  • Include your (recommender’s) contact details, including name, designation, study institution/company, address, email, and phone number

  • Start with an appropriate salutation, such as Respected Admissions Committee

  • Briefly introduce yourself (the recommender) in the first paragraph, highlighting your relationship with the student, the duration of your acquaintance, and the capacity in which you know/have worked with each other.

  • Move on to the main body of the letter, which is ideally divided into short 4-5 paragraphs, such as shown below.

  • First Paragraph: Give a brief overview of the student's academic/professional achievements and their notable character traits.

  • Second Paragraph: Share specific examples of the student's achievements highlighted in the first paragraph, detailing where the student demonstrated these qualities. Include special skills and academic/work ethics.

  • Third Paragraph (Optional): You may choose to highlight the student's personal qualities, leadership abilities, extracurricular achievements at school, and contribution to the community at large (if any). This would give the committee a complete personality portrait of the applicant.

  • Conclude your letter with a strong endorsement of the student, summarising their strengths and potential for success in their future academic or career endeavours. Also, mention your availability for further contact by the admissions committee (if so required) to provide any additional information on the student as may be needed. 

  • Write a formal closing line to end the letter. A polite and professional “Your Truly/Sincerely” or “Best Regards” is acceptable as common practice.

  • Sign the letter and also print your name and designation at the end.

What are the Key Components to Highlight in an LOR?

While following the above-detailed academic LOR format for your student’s admission application, make sure that you don’t forget to include some essential components that are a must-have for an effective LOR. They are:

  • Highlighting the academic achievements and intellectual abilities of the student

  • Mentioning any prior professional experience (if applicable)

  • Their personal traits relevant to a student’s candidature, such as leadership abilities, interpersonal skills, and creativity in performing the tasks at hand

  • Any extracurricular achievements or notable contributions to the community through voluntary work

  • Specific examples (if any) underlining the student's character or personality type

Making a note of the above while drafting your LOR can help you write an effective and impressive letter for your student’s university application.

Tips for Writing an Effective LOR

Want to ensure that your Letter of Recommendation is the perfect document that can improve your student’s chances of admission at their desired university? Following some simple tips outlined below can help:

  • The same LOR cannot achieve every student’s academic or career goals. Understand the exact purpose of your student and customise your letter to help meet the specific goal of your student’s application.

  • Keep the tone of the letter positive and professional throughout. Avoid slang or casual language.

  • Avoid generic writing. Use specific examples or anecdotes to illustrate the student's unique achievements and top qualities.

  • Avoid clichés. Be as specific in your references to the context as possible.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing an LOR

In line with the helpful tips mentioned above, shared below are some common mistakes that people make when drafting a LOR for their students. Here are a few examples:

  • Being too general or vague in their description of the student. Sharing specific examples helps the admissions committee get a clearer picture of the student’s achievements, qualities, and personality traits. 

  • Exaggerating or making false claims when describing the student's qualities. Stick to realistic appraisals that sound believable. 

  • Neglecting the format of the LOR. The committee gives importance to the exact format being followed when drafting the letter.

  • Keeping the language casual and avoiding professionalism in writing. Keep the tone formal and courteous.

FAQs on LOR Format for Students

1. How long should an LOR be?

A Letter of Recommendation should ideally be one page long and 300-350 words long. Avoid making the letter too lengthy, and try sticking to the prescribed word limit.

2. Is there any expiry of a Letter of Recommendation?

LORs are generally considered valid for a duration of 1 year or 18 months max. Most universities or employers may not consider letters older than this time.

3. Can I use the same LOR for different applications?

It is recommended that you tailor your LOR to suit the exact purpose of your student’s goals for application - higher education, internship/employment, or scholarship program. The same LOR cannot serve the same purpose in all these cases.

4. What if my recommender asks me to draft the LOR?

It is generally advisable that the LOR be written by the recommender, i.e., a person in a position of authority or someone who has worked closely with you. If they ask you to draft the letter, try reaching out to a different recommender, as it defeats the purpose of writing the reference letter for the student to the admissions committee.

5. How can I write my Letter of Recommendation?

If you are a recommender wanting to write an LOR for a student, employee, or team worker, you may use the format provided in this article. Alternatively, IDP Education expert education consultants can help draft the perfect LOR for your purpose.

6. Is it necessary to have an LOR from a recent instructor or employer?

Most universities may prefer a LOR from a recommender who has worked with or taught you recently. This is because they will likely have a better idea of your work, strengths, and personality traits, and help the admissions committee make an informed decision.